Frost-preventing apparatus.



E. w. KRONE, JR- FROST PREVENTING APPARATUS.

" APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1910.

Patented June 6, 1911.

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FREDERICK W. KRONE, JR., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FROST-PREVENTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 1, 1910. Serial No. 590,146.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WV. KRONE, Jr., citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements inFrost-Preventing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a heating device designed for use in orchardsand vineyards, when the normal temperature in the orchard becomes so lowthat some of the fruit and tender foliage on the trees will freeze,unless the temperature in the orchard is raised artificially.

I Various attempts have been made to counteract the damaging effects offrost and low temperatures in orchards and vineyards, many of theappliances used for the purpose being quite expensive, more or lesscumbersome and unsatisfactory. As it is uncertain just when the coldperiods will occur, it is of the greatest importance that the heatingdevices shall be readily portable and convenient, and easily used,especially as but a short period of time is allowed for lighting theheaters after the thermometer indicates that a dangerously lowtemperature has been reached. It is an important object that the deviceshould burn for a sufficient length of time, and yield a maximum amountof heat with a minimum amount of soot.

The present invention pertains especially to a soot gatherer to collectthe soot which emanates from the burning oil, and prevents the sootbeing deposited on the fruit, such as ripening oranges, lemons, and thelike which would thereby be detrimentally affected as to their marketvalue.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, cheap,practical soot arresting device which is easily adjustable tooil-burning orchard heaters, on top of which heaters these arresters maybe adjusted without interfering with the putting on or taking off of theregular cover or cowl of the heater.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is aperspective of the device. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view. Fig. 8 is aplan of the soot plate.

A represents a receptacle or pot of approrest on the rim of the pot.

priate shape, size and material, preferably constructed of sheet metalin the form of a truncated cone adapted to hold a sufficient quantity ofoil to burn, by the system of control provided, a sufficient length oftime to outlive any damaging frost or sudden drop in temperatureprevalent in fruit districts.

Above the center of the pot the sides are perforated by two rows ofperforations 28; the lower perforations 2 forming carbureting passagesfor the admission of air suflici'ent to maintain combustion, and theupper set of perforations 3 providing draft passages so placed that theyact as auxiliaries to the passages 2 in promoting and maintainingcombustion. The pot is provided with a suitable cowl or cover 4 whichsubstantially'covers the top of the pot, but is lifted above the rim ofthe pot and supported thereon by suitable means, as the legs 5.

The present invention resides especially in the use with a pot, as abovedescribed, and with or without the cowl, of a soot gatherer, representedat 6. This soot gatherer consists of a piece of sheet metal of anysuitable shape and having an area equal to only a small fraction of theopen mouth of the pot, but so disposed centrally of the pot and over thetop thereof as to form an obstruction to the upwardly rising column ofsmoke and flame from the burning oil beneath, yet leave suflicientpassages or vents, represented at 7, Fig. 1, between the edges of theplate 6 and the sides of the pot. Usually with a pot, say eight inchesin diameter at the top, it would have a soot gatherer about three andone-half inches square, although the form of the plate is not essential.This plate 6 is supported in any suitable means so that it will be flator approximately level with the top of the heater and about centrallyover the mouth of the pot. In practice, a convenient method ofsupporting the plate is by bendable projections 7 at the corners of theplate which are adapted to Whenever the oil is lightedin the pot, theflames, smoke and soot in the absence of this soot gatherer rise in acomparatively narrow column from the center of the pot, asI haveattempted torepresent at 8, in Fig. 2; this central tendency of thecolumn being due to, or augmented by, the openings 2-3 in the pot, butby disposing the plate 6 centrally over the pot leaving the spaces 7around the plate 6 Patented June 6, 1911.

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for the outlet of the heat, it has been found in actual practice thatthe soot emanating from the burning oil, collects on the underside ofthe plate and the flame is spread out from the center in all directions,and only the heat of the burning oil issues through the opening 7Experience shows that this simple little device increases the period ofburning twenty-five per cent. or more, and increases the effectivenessof the heater by reducing the soot and securing better combustion; theadvantages being the increased heat and the longer heating period.

The cowl or cover a is advantageous because in setting these potsthroughout the orchard or vineyard in readiness for use, it isdesirableto protect the contents from moisture and dirt, which protection couldnot be afforded by the plate 6 with its limited area. The cover 4, iflaid fiat over the pot, serves as an extinguisher when the fire is nolonger needed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Pat ent is 1. A frost preventing device, consisting of a liquidfuel containing pot having carbursting and draft passages in its sides,and a soot gatherer consisting of a plate disposed centrally over themouth of the pot and substantially in the plane of the mouth of the pot,and of less area than the mouth of the pot, and separated from the sidesof the pot to provide outlet passages for the heat.

2. A frost preventing device, consisting of a liquid fuel containing pothaving carbureting and draft passages in its sides, a soot gathererconsisting of a plate disposed centrally over the mouth of the pot andsubstantially in the plane of the mouth of the pot, and of less areathan the mouth of the pot, and separated from the sides of the pot toprovide outlet passages for the heat, said soot gatherer supported fromthe sides of the pot, and a cowl above the soot gatherer and supportedabove the pot, and covering the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK W. KRONE, J R.

Witnesses:

GEORGE R. CoM'rii, FRED H. HAMMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

